Spider-Man (Toei series)
:Looking for another article with the name Spider-Man? Check out the Spider-Man disambiguation page. Spider-Man is a Japanese live-action Tokusatsu television series produced by Toei Company, loosely based on Marvel Comics' Spider-Man character. The series lasted 41 episodes, which aired on the Wednesday 19:30 JST time slotof Tokyo Channel 12 (TV Tokyo) from May 17, 1978. A theatrical episode was also shown in the Toei Manga Matsuri film festival on July 22, 1978. From March 5 to December 24, 2009, Marvel uploaded English subtitled versions of all 41 episodes on their official website. While Toei's version of the character wore the same costume as his Marvel counterpart, the show's storyline and the origin of the character's powers deviated completely from the source material. In addition to fighting by himself, this incarnation of Spider-Man also piloted a giant robot known as Leopardon, which he would summon to thwart off enlarged versions of the show's monsters. Toei would adopt the giant robot concept in subsequent incarnations of their Super Sentai franchise. Production The show was the result of a three-year licensing agreement with Marvel that allowed both to use each other's properties in any way they wanted. Toei initially planned to use Spider-Man as a supporting character for an unmade television series starring a fictionalized version of Yamato Takeru who was sent to the present via a time warp. The character who would've appeared on this show was intended to be identical to the Marvel version. However, Toei decided to make Spider-Man the protagonist instead and the character of Yamato Takeru was revised into Garia, an alien who gives Spider-Man his powers. The resulting show deviated from the source material completely, outside of Spider-Man's costume and some of his superpowers and gadgets. Other productions by Toei as a result of this licensing deal included Battle Fever J (a show originally conceived about a Japanese counterpart of Captain America) and an animated television movie based on the comic book Tomb of Dracula. Marvel would use the main robots from two of Toei's anime programs, Wakusei Robo Danguard Ace and Chōdenji Robo Combattler V, in their comic book adaptations of the Shogun Warriors toyline. a toy version of Leopardon, Spider-Man's robot from the Toei series, was also sold in the United States as part of the Godaikin line. Plot Characters Spider-Man Equipment Leopardon Allies Iron Cross Army Machine Bem Episode list *The Time of Revenge Has Come! Beat Down Iron Cross Group!! *Mysterious World! The Man Who Follows His Fate *Mysterious Thief 001 VS. Spider-Man *The The Terrifying Half Merman! The Miracle-Calling Silver Thread *Crash Machine GP-7! The Oath Siblings *Shuddering Laboratory! Devilish Professor Monster *Fearful Hit Tune! Song Dancing Murder Rock *A Very Mysterious Folktale: The Cursed Cat Mound *Motion Accessory is a Loveful Beetle Insect Spy *To the Flaming Hell: See the Tears of the Snake Woman *Professor Monster's Ultra Poisoning *Becoming Splendid: To the Murderous Machine of Transformation *The Skull Group VS. the Devilish Hearse *Giving Father! Fight to the Song of the Hero *The Life of Our Arrangement *Fine Dog! Run to the Under of Father *Pro Wrestler Samson's Tears *In the Mother's Chest: Resurrected the Young Boys *The Boy Phantom: To the Villageless Map *Riddle: Calling the Riddle of my Secret Birth *Fall to the Great Skies: Father's Love *Shedding Tears to the Dark Fate: Father and Child *To the Love Academy of the Homeless Children *Cockroach Boy: Great War *Treasure, Dog, and Double Human *To the Absolute Crisis: The Imitation Hero *Farewell War Buddy: Beloved German Shepard *The Front of the Alley: Boys' Detective Group *Hurry, GP-7: Time of Stop Sign *Good Luck, Beautiful Police Officer *There is No Child-Taking Detective Tomorrow *Sweet Whispering Enchantress *The Boy Teases the Horrible Wild Girl *Surprising Camera: Murderous Event *From the Unexplored Amazon: Here Comes the Mummified Beautiful Woman *The Onion Silver Mask and the Boy's Detective Group *From the Secret Messenger of Hell: Great King Emma *The First Tin Plate Evening Star and the Boys' Detective Group *Sports World: One Great Meeting *Farewell Zero Battle Tricks *The Hero's Shining Hot Blood Movie A theatrical version of Spider-Man was shown on the Toei Manag Matsuri film festival on July 22, 1978. It was directed by series director Koichi Takemoto and written by Susumu Takaku. The movie was the first appearance of the character of Juzo Mamiya, who subsequently appeared in three episodes of the series (episodes 11, 12, and 14). Because of this, the movie takes place between episodes 10 and 11. Cast Staff Trivia *In preparation for creating Spider-Man: The Animated Series, John Semper Jr. watched every Spider-Man series that preceded his. :*The Spider-Man robot that appeared in Spider Wars, Chapter II: Farewell, Spider-Man was put in the episode as a reference to Leopardon. Opening Category:A-Z Category:Television series